SwissUrbanLändlerPassion (SULP)
South Africa | Music
October 6 - 16 — Music
The Alphorn and the diatonic accordion easily identify as markers of Swiss traditional folk music and the musical style and line-up of trio SULP (SwissUrbanLändlerPassion) clearly locate the band in this domain.
Simon Dettwiler (accordion), Matthias Gubler (saxophone) and Hannes Fankhauser challenge the long-held rural image of these music traditions and point to the fact that it developed not in the countryside but – much like Maskandi or mine dancing in South Africa – in the fast growing cities during industrialisation.
The Basel based trio was founded in 2005. As the name indicates, the musicians are driven by a passion for folk music be it from Switzerland or beyond. Swiss folk music, in its contemporary form, did not emerge in the countryside but was basically invented in by industrial workers in the urban centres re-imagining their rural origins in a rapidly changing world. SULP therefore explores folk music from this urban vantage point and presents Swiss folk music as a cosmopolitan sound weaving in elements from all over the world.
The three musicians are particularly interested in exploring compositions that in themselves are hybrid, such as Ländler-Swing of the 1940s, Gipsy music from 19th century Engadin, new folk music from Central Switzerland and classic composers tapping into folk repertoire. In all this, one typical feature of “traditional” folk music becomes apparent, that is the appropriation of new trends, fashions – a mix of contemporary influences at a given time.
From 9 to 17 October 2018 the trio will visit the Western Cape, first immersing themselves in the rural communities of the Langeberg (Suurbraak and Barrydale) in the context of the project Net vir Pret, before they head to Cape Town where they will engage with guitarist Derek Gripper and trumpeter Marcus Wyatt. Facilitated by Slow Life they will present the outcome of their encounters at various locations in Cape Town, the Cape Flats and the Cape Peninsula over the weekend of 12-14 October 2018.
The details of the shows will be published shortly on www.facebook.com/slowlifesouthafrica/
